Corset Tips
A couple of weeks ago I did a video review of a corset I’d purchased on Wish and quickly mentioned something that you shouldn’t really do in a corset. You asked for more information about things you shouldn’t do in a corset so here you are!
If you're new to retro style hosiery, or hosiery of any kind, then the terminology can be confusing - but help is at hand!
Check out our guide to hosiery and all will be revealed.
Corset Advice from a Daily Wearer
I wear a corset every day and I really expect them to last. A few years ago, I was at a corset conference and Mr. Pearl was there. Mr. Pearl is probably the best corsetiere in the world at the moment and he's the most adorable person as well. He was talking about his life as a corsetiere and one sentence that really struck me. He was talking about single layer sheer corsets and he said had a client who wore sheer corsets 23/7, (which means they wear it 23 hours a day, seven days a week, just taking it off to bathe). He said, "Oh, they get through one a month" as if it was nothing. And I was like, "Wow!" A lot of people expect corsets to last forever and they are a big expense to them. I expect a corset I'm wearing on a daily basis to last a good year, and I wear it every day and I wear it hard. If you are looking at waist training you might be saving up forever and ever, but you do have to accept that you are going to have to replace it. So you're going to have to work with one that you can afford to replace on a yearly basis, because it just isn't going to last forever.
If you are waist training, if you are wearing a corset every day, then a more expensive corset will last longer than a cheaper corset. This has a lot to do with the component used. In our corsets, we use a spring steel busk and in cheaper corsets, it'll just be plain steel. Spring steel means that it springs back into shape. Now, of course, all metal springs back into shape and you can bend the busk quite a lot. There's always going to be a point where it's not going to spring back into shape. This applies to a spring steel as well as plain steel, but spring steel will last a lot longer. This is one of the main reasons we changed corset factory a few years ago (new factory corsets all feature a pink cotton lining).
With the old factory, I wasn't a hundred percent happy with the quality of the busk steel they were using and also the fabrics they were using. We went back and forth for well over a year. My husband said to me, "Well, no one wears a corset like you wear a corset. You wear it day in and day out and walk to work in it, and most people aren't going to do that." I know most people won't wear their corset as much as me, but for the amount that people are spending, I expect it to be good enough to be able to do that.
Corset Tip Number 1: The Busk
Keep Bending to the Minimum.
The busk is the clasp opening at the front of your corset and it will bend to some degree. While you can bend in your corset it is something you should keep to the absolute minimum.
There's a meme which says, ‘boots before corsets’ and it’s true.
If you put your corset on and you get fully dressed and then you're bending to put your shoes on. This really isn't good for your corset as you're putting unnecessary stress on your corset.
Of course, I have access to all the corsets I could dream of, and so I do put my corset on before my shoes. But I do really think I should get into the habit of doing it the other way! However, I always put my stockings on before I put my corset on. I don't do the suspenders or garters up, but I have my stockings on. I find that putting stockings on with your corset on, you really are bending over the toes, and I find that a lot worse than actually putting your shoes on. You do have to be wary about bending for things in a corset because yes, your corset will allow you to bend, but it's really not good for your corset.
Corset Tip Number 2: The Laces
Don’t Tie the Laces Around Your Waist
The second thing you need to be aware of is tying your laces around your waist. And I know in my early corset days, 25 years ago, I used to do this as well, and I wasn't aware that it actually can damage the corset. If you tie your laces around your waist, they will eventually damage the fabric. With our corsets, which are heavy duty bonded satin with a cotton lining, it's going to take an awful long time for the laces to damage it, if you're tying them around the waist. But if you've got an embellished corset and it's got a really fancy fashion layer, then you really shouldn't tie the laces around the waist at all because it will damage the fabric as it rubs.
Corset Tip Number 3: Loosen Laces
Always Loosen the Laces Before Removing
This really is the big one! You have to unlace the back of your corset before you take it off. If you don't unlace the back, one of the pins will get stuck and it's usually the middle pin. All the pressure on this middle pin could cause it to eventually break. It's not designed to have all that pressure on the one pin plus you struggling trying to undo your corset.
You always need to loosen the laces at the back a lot before you try and open the front busk. This goes with experience as well. Once you've got used to your corset then you'll know how much you need to loosen it at the back. But if you're new, then always be cautious and unlace it as much as you possibly can, so it is literally loose on your body before you try and undo the busk.
Bonus Corset Tip: Knots in Your Laces?
One last quick tip is that if you get your corset lace stuck in a knot and you can't undo it, you can actually loosen the knot using a chopstick. Poke the end of the chopstick in the knot and give it a wiggle and it will loosen the knot. I always keep a chopstick handy!
More Corset Features
Shopping for a Corset?
If you're looking to purchase your first corset please take a look at our 'All About Corsets' page where you can find all the information you could possibly need, from how to measure yourself correctly to the seasoning myth.
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Corset Questions?
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